A BALL with a nautical theme has helped raise thousands to help young cancer patients.

The Titanic Ball, organised by the Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust, was held at the Queen’s Hotel in Leeds.

The glitzy evening saw the room transformed into the interior of a ship.

Props loaned by Elland-based company Andy Thornton Architectural Antiques included old cases and a huge ship’s wheel.

Entertainment included a string quartet and silent auction.

Prizes donated for the auction included tickets to see TV star Graham Norton’s show with drinks with him and his guests – which sold for almost £1,000 – and a tie signed by Stephen Fry. A 1966 World Cup programme also went for £1,000.

The annual event is a big fundraiser for the charity, usually raising over £10,000 and organisers hope to have done the same this year.

The money raised from this year’s event will go towards the Trust’s Gonads project which is being carried out by St James’s Hospital in Leeds.

The medical research project will look into testicular and ovarian germ cell tumours in adolescents.

Trust manager Pam Thornes said: “Because of our work with the Leeds hospitals we wanted to come and give people in the area the chance to join us.

“We had 160 people at the ball and they also came from London, the Midlands and Liverpool.

“We always invite a group of young cancer patients to come and party with us.

“It’s nice for them to come because they might have missed out on their own proms through illness.”